1
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to complicate
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to mistake
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to embarrass
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal
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5
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confuse
Mousse is a popular choice for those wanting to achieve volume without impacting the final texture too much, but shouldn’t be confused with hair creams, which Spectrum One Hair Extensions founder Katy Grimshaw says are more geared toward smoothing and hydration rather than shape and support.
—
Dominic Cadogan, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2026
Since the Affordable Care Act subsidies expired at the end of 2025, Americans have undoubtedly been encountering a great deal of confusing information surrounding health care costs and insurance plans.
—Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
Evacuation messaging to Americans in the region came late and initially confused, with some embassies unprepared for the crisis.
—Byron Tau, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Venezuela’s relievers followed Rodriguez’s lead, continuing to confuse Team USA hitters, where only Bryce Harper was able to muster a single off Jose Butto in the bottom of the sixth inning.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Dominic Cadogan, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2026
Since the Affordable Care Act subsidies expired at the end of 2025, Americans have undoubtedly been encountering a great deal of confusing information surrounding health care costs and insurance plans.
—Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
Evacuation messaging to Americans in the region came late and initially confused, with some embassies unprepared for the crisis.
—Byron Tau, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Venezuela’s relievers followed Rodriguez’s lead, continuing to confuse Team USA hitters, where only Bryce Harper was able to muster a single off Jose Butto in the bottom of the sixth inning.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Verb
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Now, many millions of Americans are bewildered by events.—
David French,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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McNutt housed some 700 kids — about one-third of the population of French Lick — and Bird found the campus outside the dormitory walls bewildering.—
Keith O'Brien,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The snow drought is complicating that work.—
Mira Rojanasakul,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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Second, instability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border complicates regional connectivity and economic integration initiatives, including projects linked to broader Central and South Asia.—
Rabia Akhtar,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Still, there was no mistaking what the night meant.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
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But for every moment of genuine accountability journalism that reminds the public what the press is capable of, there seems to follow another viral post, another sympathetic profile of a terrorist’s grieving relatives, another story that mistakes activism for reporting.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tonight’s ceremony had none of the major dramatic mishaps that have both embarrassed the Academy Awards’ organizers and affirmed the event’s status as must-see live TV.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
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The Americans were left to root for the same team that embarrassed them, and that team delivered.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Almanac installed the unit without building a new facility or disrupting production.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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With the conflict having disrupted much of the world's oil supplies, markets remain highly sensitive to any headline suggesting either escalation or diplomacy.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These are the brutally real snapshots of a man well acquainted with—but still perplexed by—the powerful and destructive forces that lord over our lives.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
4 Mar. 2026
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Hour said he was perplexed by his liberal friends expressing their condolences.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This entrenched cross-border militant networks and blurred the boundary between state policy and nonstate actors, resulting in dynamics that continue to shape the region.—
Rabia Akhtar,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
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BeautyBarrier's new priming lotion creates a soft-focus, blurring finish and helps makeup stick to the skin for flawless, all-day wear.—
Kelsey Legg,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Seymour threw on a press, flustering the Patriots, who began to turn the ball over.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
22 Mar. 2026
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The Buckeyes were flustered at times and committed 15 turnovers on the day.—
Ben Messinger,
Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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